"Her smock was white, embroidery repeated, Its pattern on the collar front and back, Inside and out it was of silk and black." Blackwork had certainly increased in popularity during the reign of Henry VIII and paintings of the English court at that time feature exquisite garments with ornate blackwork collars and cuffs. Indeed one German artist, Hans Holbein, painted blackwork in such precise detail that the double running stitch used to complete the patterns became known as Holbein stitch. English blackwork was very much influenced by other types of embroidery in Elizabethan times, particularly Jacobean embroidery. The use of gold in blackwork stems from this time when embroideries became fantastically extravagant. Delicate blackwork floral designs were entwined with coiling stems of gold, creating beautifully rich and harmonious designs. Blackwork is worked using two straight stitches, backstitch and Holbein stitch. Cross stitchers are familiar with backstitch but may unconsciously use Holbein stitch as well. Also known as double running stitch, it makes a very straight line and is often used in cross stitch to work long lines around borders.